Conveyer



June 16, .1931. J. H., THURMER 1,810,859

CONVEYER Filed March 31. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l o V I0 o O O 0 G O O ii I WITNESSES l7 fjZT/zm'mer "7 I ATTO RNEY June 16, 1931. .1. THURMER CONVEYER Filed March 51, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 172561777671 .fo/nYE ATTORNEY Patented June 16, 1931 PATENT OFFICE j JOHN H. THUR-MFR, OF BROOKLYN; NEW" YORK CONVEYER Application filed March 31, 1930. Serial No. 440,502.

This invention relates to conveyers.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a novel and improved conveyer formed by a plurality of connect- 5 ed links with which means for gripping material are associated.

It is a further object of the present in .vention to provide a conveyer adapted to receive and grip material between the links thereof.

A further. object of the present inven, tion is to provide a' conveyer especially adapted for use in connection with envelope gumming machines or similar paper handling devices, the arrangement being such that material received by the conveyer will be retained thereon even though it is conveyed to inverted position thereby.

A still further object of the present in- 29 vention is to provide a conveyer formed of links extending perpendicularly from the path of the conveyer and being structurally arranged to provide for the reception of flat material, such as paper or envelopes, be-

tween the links.

Other objects of the invention include the provision of a novel combination and interrelation of parts, the whole forming a simple and improved conveyer particularly adapted for the demands of economic manufacture. 7

Other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from aconsideration of the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which I Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of the present invention formed in conjunction with the envelope gumming machine;

Fig. 2 is a detail side view of a part of the conveyer V Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3 3 ofFig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the conveyer links, showing the conveyer formed by a single chain of such links, and Fig. 5' is a detail view of the material gripper. V I I Referring more particularly to the drawings, it will'be seen that the present invention is particularly designed for use in paper handling machines, such asthe envelope machine here generally indicated by the numeral 10. For conveying envelopes formed by the machine 10, the present conveyer is 5 provided extending horizontally under the machine, the ends of the conveyer being suit ablymounted for movement over sprocket wheels 11. In this connection, it will be un derstood that the invention is not confined to use withthe particular type of machine here illustrated, nor is the arrangement of the conveyer required to be in the horizontal formhere shown. It will also be noted that various modifications in the structure of the device may beresorted toto conform the device to various uses. The invention is thus not limited to the specific structure here shown and described.

The conveyer illustrated in Fig. 2, is shown as a pair of parallel chains, intermediate links of which are provided with radially extending arms and material gripping means. In Fig. 4 a conveyer belt is shown formed by a single chain. In both instances, the armshere indicated at 13, are of similar construction.

The chain generally. indicated at 12, is provided with intermediate links 14, as illustrated in Fig. 5. The links 14 are bifur- 80 cated at their lowerextremities to form furcations 15. Each side of the furcations 15 is apertured, as at 16, to provide for the reception of the chain pins 17, whereby the links 14 are associated with the normal links of the. chain to form a part of the chain. The upper portion of the links 14 extends perpendicularly from the direction of the chain and is bifurcated to form the furcations 18 which receive therebetween the arms 13 which may be secured thereto by rivets through the rivetholes 19 of the furcations v 18. The upper ends of therarms13 are adapted to receive on one side, a pad 20, while a plate 21' is mounted on the opposite side] The arrangement is such that the pad 20 of one arm or pair of arms, will hold a sheet of material, indicated at 22, against the plate 21 of the next adjacent arm or pair of arms. As illustrated in Fig. 2, it

- terial' 22 against movement from between the j arms, when the chain passes over the op- 'posite end sprocket, material grippers 23 are provided. The grippers 23 are mounted between the furcations 15 by pivots extend ing through the apertures 24 thereof. For controlling the grippers 23, a track 25 is provided, which is adapted to contact with a depending portion 26 carried by the grip pers 23. As illustrated in Fig. 3,"when "a pair of chains is used to form the 'conveyer, the grippers23 are mounted on a single shaft .27, which extends between parallel links let of the chain. The central portion of the shaft 27 is provided with a depending portion 26 and a single track mounted between the chains is used for actuating the grippers The present invention. is particularly adapted for use as a drying conveyer for gummed envelopes or the like. i In the operatlon of the form of the 1nvent1on shown in Fig. 1, it will be seen th'at envelopes or equivalent material 22, are discharged from the machine 10 as the arms 13 are assuming parallel position from the radial extension thereof when passing over the sprocket 11.

The track 25 is mounted adjacent one of the end sprockets 11 and is urged to rock the grippers 23 so that their ends are spaced fromthe face of the link 1%. In the construction shown in Fig. 3, such rockingis against the tension of a spring 28, which normally urges the grippers23 against the link 1 Asthe links of the chain pass to the left, as shown in Fig. 1, the portion 26 passes off the track 25 and the upper .end of the grippers moves to the link 14:, thus engaging the material 22 therebetween. Radial movement of the arms 13 at the opposite end of the conveyor will not release the material from the links. It will be seen that the spaced relation of the arms, asshown in Fig. 3, provides for'maximum exposure of the surface of the material for drying. The material is conveyed in in verted position by the bottom side of the chain until the arms reach the beginning of the track 25, whereupon -the'portion 26 strikes the track, the grippers 23 are-rocked, and the material is discharged when the arms are in radial position.

' From the foregoing it will readily be seen that the present invention provides a novel, simple and improved conveyer, which is parhaving rigidly extending arms associated therewith, and material gripping members pivotally associated with said links, said links being bifurcated to receive said members between the bifurcations thereof, a. material supporting member carried at one side of each arm, and a pad carried at the opposite side of each arm and adapted to bear against the members on adj acent arms.

2. A conveyer comprising a linked belt, alternate linkshaving"bifurcations at their inner and outer sides, rigid arms projecting from the bifurcations at the outer sides of said links, and material engaging members pivotally mounted in the bifurcations at the inner sides of said links.

3. A conveyer comprising a linked belt, alternate links having bifurcations at their inner and outer sides, said links being formed in one piece, rigid arms projecting from the bifurcations at the outer sides of said'links,jand material engaging members pivotally mounted in the bifurcations at the inner sides of said links.

4. A conveyer comprising a linked belt, alternate links formed in one piece and having bifurcations 'at their inner and outer sides, rigid arms projecting from the bifurcations at the outer sides of said links, a material. supporting member carried at one side of each arm, and material. engaging members pivotally mounted in the bifurcations at the inner sides'of said links. I

5. A conveyer' comprising a linked belt, alternate links having. bifurcations at their inner and outer sides, rigid arms projecting from the bifurcations at the outer sides of said'links,a material supporting member carried at one side ofeach arm, pads car ried at the opposite sides of said armsand adapted to bear against the members .on adjacent arms, and materia'l engaging members pivotally 'mounted in the bifurcations at the inner sides of said links.

6. A conveyer comprising a linked'belt, alternate links having bifurcations, attheir inner and outer sides, rigid arms projecting from the bifurcations at the outer sides of said links, a transverselyv elongated plate centered on one side of each arm forsupporting sheet material thereon, and material engaging members pivotally mountedin the bifurcations at the inner sides of 'said'links and adapted to sustain the material in place during a predetermined travel of the belt. 7. A conveyer comprising a linked. belt, alternate links having bifurcations at their. inner and outer sides, rigid arms projecting from the bifurcations at the outer sides of said links, a transversely elongated plate centered on one sideof each arm for supportingsheet material thereon, a pad carried at the opposite sideofeach arm and adapted to bear against a plate on an adjacent arm, and material engaging members pivotally mounted in the bifurcations at the inner sides of said links and adapted to sustain the material in place during a predetermined travel of the belt.

8. A conveyer comprising a linked belt, alternate links having bifurcations at their inner and outer sides, rigid arms projecting from the bifurcations at the outer sides of said links, a transversely elon ated plate carried on one side of each arm or supporting sheet material thereon, a transversely elongated pad carried at the opposite side of V 2 each arm and adapted to bear against a plate on an adjacent arm, and material en-s gaging members pivotally mounted in the bifurcations at the inner sides of said links and adapted to sustain the material in place during a predetermined travel of the belt. 9. A conveyer comprising a linked belt, alternate links having bifurcations at their inner and outer sides, rigid arms projecting from the bifurcations at the outer sides of said links, and material engaging members pivotally mounted in the bifurcations at the inner sides of said links, said links each being undercut at one side thereof to give clearance to the operative movements of said material engaging members.

Signed at New York city in the county of New York and State of New York this 29th day of March, A. D. 1930.

JOHN H. THURMER. 

